Orders
by Katerina1
Summary: Alanna's still fuming over being forbidden to see the new girl page...
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first little bit of fanfiction, so please be kind! All feedback is welcome, really! Flames will be used to warm the chilly Australian nights. :-) 

SUMMARY: Alanna's still fuming over being forbidden to see the new page... 

DECLARATION: Not mine; they belong to the fabulous authoress, Tamora Pierce. 

~ORDERS~ 

BANG! 

The door flew open to slam against the wall with a crash. 

"Curse it... curse *him*... do this, Alanna, do that, Alanna. Keep away from the girl, Alanna!" 

The door crashed again as it was kicked closed. 

On the large, ornately carved bed in the middle of the room, George Cooper opened an eye. 

His wife paced the room furiously in the dim light. Obviously, her meeting with the king had not gone well. For a second, just a second, the man debated feigning sleep for a little while longer. He knew what was coming. 

Unfortunately, the decision was taken out of his hands. 

"George? George?! Are you awake?" 

In the second it took him to decide on his reply, she lost her patience. 'Ah, so it's like that, is it?' 

With a sharp gesture, she threw the light of her magic at the branches of unlit candles around the room. In her anger, it was too much; with a flare and an odd squelching sound, the wax sticks melted into puddles, the wicks burned to nothing. 

"Gods CURSE IT!" 

With a sigh, he sat up in bed as she lit the room with her Gift alone. In the pale purple light, she looked furious. But he noted the underlying frustration and... was that a slight tinge of sadness? 

"What happened?" His voice was even, revealing nothing of what he had seen in her face. 

Alanna whirled to face him. 

"That... he... Wyldon..." 

"Hush," he interrupted as she spluttered. "I take it there was no good news." 

"Oh, there was good news all right." He had rarely heard her voice so bitter. "A girl's applied to train as a page." 

George paused. 

"Is that not what you've been wanting?" 

"Yes, that's what I've been wanting, George," she replied with heavy sarcasm. He ignored it, settling himself back against the pillows. "But they refuse to let me see her. I'm 'not to involve myself in her training'," she mimicked harshly. 

Whatever it was he had been expecting, this was not it. He sat up sharply. 

"They did what?" 

For a moment she was silent as all anger seeped from her body. She sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh. Her voice was tired and weary. 

"They ordered me away, George. They said that because people think I magicked my success, it might taint her. People might believe that I spelled her to prove that females can be knights. Stuffy, uptight conservatives," she muttered, but her heart wasn't in it. 

George leaned forward to rub her back. With a wry smile, she rested against his supporting arm. 

"Jon ordered me, George." Her voice was small. "He ordered me, like I was an object or something, a thing that was just there to do his bidding. He's never treated me like that before." 

"Well, my darlin', everyone knows how strongly you feel about this." He grinned at her in the half-light. "Maybe it was the only way he had of making you hear him." 

Alanna allowed herself a slight snort. "Maybe. But I wanted to *help*, George. I thought that maybe when I became a knight, things might be different, especially when Jon passed that law, and Thayet started the Riders. But it's not. It'll be even harder for her than it was for me, and if I go near her, I'll cause more damage." She paused. "I never thought that I could hurt my own cause, just by being who I am." 

George rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. "I know, lass. But feeling sorry for yourself won't help anything along." 

She stiffened, the anger flowing back into her body in a flood. "I am not-" she started, and then paused. "I am, aren't I?" She scrubbed her face with her hands. "Well, that's enough of that. We'll ride for the Swoop in the morning, and I'll find a way around Jon's *order*," her voice was still slightly bitter, "see if I don't." 

George chuckled. "I don't doubt that for a second, my love." He scooped her up and gathered her into bed. "But you might as well be comfortable while you plot, don't you think?" 

Finally, finally, she smiled. "I guess so." The light vanished. 

For a few seconds, there was silence. Then, "I can't believe Wyldon had the nerve to mention probation! And I can't believe he got Jon to agree!" 

"Alanna..." The word was a sigh; slightly exasperated and a little more frustrated. 

"Sorry, sorry..." There was silence again, broken only by the rustling of sheets. All was peaceful. 

Outside, an owl hooted. The moon shone down on the sleeping palace, glinting off glass windows and turning grey stone to silver. A gentle breeze stirred the treetops in the Royal Forest. 

And in a large, comfortably furnished room, a redheaded woman leaped out of bed with a gleeful cry. 

"I have it! It's perfect..." 

And as her voice eagerly outlined her plans, there was another, quieter sound; the small, heartfelt groan of a thwarted husband. 


	2. Chapter 2

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I actually never intended for this to go beyond the first chapter, but I got so many wonderful reviews asking for more that I couldn't resist. So thank you x10 everyone who dropped a note. 

DISCLAIMER: Not mine, not mine, not mine! 

~Orders~ 

You can always tell a woman's attitude towards a man by the weapons she chooses to attack him with. 

George Cooper knew this, and so was encouaged when his wife chose to match him at staffs for their morning exercise rather than something sharper and more deadly. It meant she was beginning to calm down. 

It was barely dawn, and the practise courts in the Royal Palace were deserted. Apart, of course,from the red-headed King's Champion and her husband. 

The air was filled with the clack of wood on wood and the soft padding of their feet on the floor. They were moving quickly, deftly; they knew each other's styles like their own. 

George spotted a split-second opening in Alanna's defense, and almost went for it before a small voice inside his head warned him that it might be wiser to let her win today's match. Anything to avoid her going after those aforementioned sharp weapons. 

In the instant that it took him to organise these thoughts in his head, Alanna had disarmed him and nearly sent him to the floor. He managed to regain his balance as she wiped her face on her sleeve. 

"Well then," he said dryly, "I see your argument with Jon hasn't spoiled your form." 

She gave him a tiny smile. "I just imagine I'm aiming for him." 

The Baron snorted and slung an arm over her shoulders as they left the courts. 

"When do we ride for the Swoop?" 

She swung her staff thoughtfully. "There's some things I need to do here before we leave," she said. "I suppose in a few hours, if you can be packed by then." 

He nodded, and then paused. "Lass, you're not aiming to do anything foolish, are you? Jon *is* King, when all's said and done." 

"I know *that* George." They were entering the nobles' quarters of the Palace, and she lowered her voice. "Look, they said I can't talk to her or see her, right? But they never said I wasn't to drop hints." She smiled at him as she pushed open the door to their rooms. 

"But if they find out it's you, Alanna..." 

"I thought of that," the redhead replied triumphantly. "I'm going to be stuble." 

With that, she propped her staff in her weapons rack and, stripping off her shirt, began to wash briskly. 

George raised his eyebrows. "Alanna, my love, I have nothing but the highest respect for you, but subtlety is not your strong point." 

She glared at him from under her dripping hair. "Just watch me." 

***** 

Stay tuned for the next installment! 


	3. Chapter 3

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, this is following on the heels of my last chapter. I'll update ASAP, and feedback will only make me work faster! 

DISCLAIMER: I think you know this by now, right? :-) 

~Orders~ 

Myles of Olau entered his study to find a package on his desk and his daughter sitting in his favourite chair. 

She did not look happy. 

"Alanna? You're here early." 

She managed a slight smile. "You're *up* early. It must be, what, nearly lunch time?" 

He ignored her and turned to the package on his desk. "For me?" 

She stood with a sigh. "Unfortunately, no." Hesitantly, she asked, "Myles? Did you hear about the new page?" 

He surveyed her shrewedly. "The girl?" 

She nodded. "Jon and I had a fight. Again." Myles hid a smile. "He forbade me to see her. George and I are riding for the Swoop today." 

Myles claimed his chair before his daughter could return to it. "You must understand, Alanna, that Jon has-" 

She waved his comments away. "I know. Believe me, I know. I can't see her. But you can." 

"Which leads us to the package?" 

Alanna nodded. "I *have* to go, Myles. The gods know I don't want to, but..." She paused and collected herself. "I still want to help her, though. But to do that, I need *your* help." 

She perched on the edge of her foster-father's desk. Her voice was low and earnest. "I need you to do what I would, if I were able to stay. I need you to be there for her, to keep an eye on her. Just... watch things, make sure everything is in order. And then let me know of her progress, her strengths and weaknesses. Then I can pass things onto you to give to her. But she musn't realise what you're doing." 

She sat back and stared out of the window. "I won't be back for at least four years." Just saying the words hurt. She had friends, loved ones in the Palace, for all her family was at the Swoop. "When she's a squire, she'll be in and out all over the place, and my being in the same building won't arouse suspicion," she added bitterly. 

Her eyes met those of her foster-father pleadingly. "Please, Myles. I know it's a lot to ask, but-" 

Myles raised a hand, cutting her off. "Alanna, I saw everything that you had to go through; your great disguise, your battles to be accepted once you revealed who you really were... If I can help you to help this girl, even a small amount, then I will do so to the best of my ability." 

Alanna rose, managing to hide the tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, hugging Myles tight. "Thank you so much." 

She pulled back suddenly. "Gods, it's getting late! George will be waiting." She glanced at the package on the desk. "Can you give this to her in a few weeks?" She smiled suddenly. "From what I remember, right about the third week is when everything *really* starts to ache." 

Myles laughed and kissed her cheek. "I'll see that she gets it. Take care, Alanna. I'll write when I meet her." 

She hugged him one last time and made for the door. 

"Goodbye, Myles." 

**** 

Next chapter coming soon! 


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